Magnetic separator.



J. WEATHBRBY. MAGNETIC SBPARATOR.

APYLIOATION mun JAN.11.1912.

1,071,838. I Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETSBHBET 1.

2: 2 4 amuentoz I J. WEATHERBY.

MAGNETIC SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.11,1912.

1,071,838. Patented Sept. 2,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l N Sum/tor q Vi tnoow W 5 l S TTS ann'r rricE.

JOSEPH WEATHERBY, OF NEW CUMBERLAND, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, Bi MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ELECTRIC ORE' SEPARATGR COMPANY, OF NEW CUMBERLAND, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

MAGNETIC snPARATon.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent-ed Sept. 2, 1913'.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH Nnivrnnmw, a citizen of the Uni-ted Sta-t es, residing at New Cumberland in the county of (lumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Magnetic Separators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad. to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

TlIiS iD-VBHtlOII relates to magnetic separators and more especially to that type designed for operating upon comminuted or'es tor the SQPZIItllIlUIi or classification of the materials of which the ores are composed, in ,ilL'COltlillitc with the so-called magnetic susceptibility or permeability of the materials.

The machine of the present invention is more especially designed for the separation or classification of ores, the ingredients of which have a very low magnetic susceptibility or permeability, or which differ but slightly from each other in their magnetic susceptibility or permeability, suchas zinc, chalcopyritcs, tin, manganese, silver, gold, etc, etc. and in which ores it is found that the more susceptible ingredients are praclically non-magnetic and will not jump to or be materially deflected when in motion, by a proximate magnetic pole piece, even when caused to traverse a highly concentrated or dense i'nagnetic field in proximity to the pole piece.

In operating upon and separating ores of the charactc" above referred to I have discovered that, it the ore particles, when free frommomentum or velocity, are subjected to a rubbing contact with the moving pole piece of a magnetic circuit in which the lines of magnetic force are highly concentrated, the more susceptible particles will adhere to the said moving pole piece and may be conveyed thereby through and out of a highly concentrated or dense magnetic field. while the lesser susceptible particles will, in passing through and out of such a field, be free to discharge or escape under the influence 01f gravity or other force tending to move them away from the more susceptible material.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a machine which will operate on a commercial scale and take advantage of the discovery above referred to without the introduction of a complicated construction or the use of parts which will deteriorate rapidly .in use.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,--l!igure 1- is a front elevation of a magnetic separator embodying the present improvements, portions being broken away to show underlying parts, one half of the rotor with a portion of the frame being shown in central longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is an elevation, looking at one end ol? the machine shown in Fig. 1, portions being broken away and in section to enable underlying parts to be seen. Fig. 3 is a section in a horizontal plane substantially on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1, looking downwardly. Fig. el is a detail plan view of one of the hoppers in which the ore is held in contact with the movable.pole piece, this view being on an enlarged scale and with a portion broken away to show one of the adjusting screws. Fig. 5 is a detail section of a portion of the rotor or movable pole piece showing the spiral. forming the projections and the non-magnetic filling.

The machine in the form illustrated in the drawings embodies four fixed pole pieces and two rotary pole pieces in the magnetic circuit. the gaps between the lixed and rotary pole pieces forming exceelingly dense or raincentratcd magnetic fields and providing an arrangement whereby separation of the ore may be effected at four separate points, to wit: at each of the gaps in the magnetic circuit. The arrangement pretcral'ily such that the two rotarypole pieces are of opposite polarity and each is located between two fixed pole pieces of the same polarity. but of a polarity of opposite sign from that of the rotary pole piece between them. As an economical construction the pole pieces are arranged in vertical relation and the upright portions of the ma chine are formed by the cores of the field operation.

, tible material toward or to hold the same magnets or fixed pole pieces, which cores are inclosed, as shown in the accompanying drawings, by coils, each core preferably having two coils A and A" thereon, whereby the strength of the field may be varied in the well understood manner, and if necessary, should one coil be short circuited, the other will be left in condition for effective -Above and below the coils, A, A the cores are provided with heavy fixed pole pieces B, the lower pole piece resting -on and being firmly bolted to short transa timber B is connected by suitable angle iron brackets and extends across the machine parallel with the bottom timber D. The timbers B and D are provided with centrally arranged bearin s' a, q, inwhi'ch the shaft extensions Co therotor E are journaled. Said bearings are preferably roller bearings for preventing radial movement, anda ball thrust bearing for supporting'the rotor against downward movement. Suitable oil wells are provided for each of the bearings, the details Of' WhlCll form no part of the resent invention, and the rotor is prefera 1y rotated by the application of power to the upper end of its shaft as, for instance, through a belt pulley C. Intermediate its ends the rotor is provided with magnetizing coils F, F, which are supplied with current through commutator rings f, and above and below the magnetizingcoils F, or in position immediately'opposite the fixed pole pieces B, the rotor is prpvided with pole pieces E of cylindrical form. Each rotor pole piece has its periphery provided with a spiral projection E the pitch of the spiral being comparatively small, whereby each cylindrical face pre sents a series of projections to its fixed pole pieces. During rotation the projections are. brought in proximity to every portion of the face'of the fixed pole pieces, and the lines of magnetic intensity, are therefore copstantly sweeping up or down, depending upon the direction of rotation, but the con-- vergence of the lines of force is always: toward. the movable pole piece, and .there-' fore tends to move any magneticor suscep in;' contact, with the movable pole.

Til 1e spaces betwenthe projections "or thei va ey-formed by the spiral of each of the movable polesi -are preferably filled by a nonmagnetic material or metal indicated at Fig. 5, so as toleave only the ends of projections differently spaced for separat nn ing different kinds of ore, provision is made for changing the face of the rotor pole. This is preferably accomplished by making the face of the rotor pole in the form of a sleeve as indicated by the line E in Figs. 1, 3 and 5.

pieces are provided with adjustable noses 1) preferably of wedge-shape or wider at the lower portion of Fig. 2, which nose pieces I) are adjusted toward and from the rotor by screws 6' having hand wheels b at their outer ends andare clamped in adjusted position by clamping bolts H. lVhile there is an enorn lpus pull between each pole piece and the rotor when the machine is in operation, the effect of the pull by any one pole iece tending to draw the rotor out of plumb is overcome or neutralized by the oppositely disposed pole piece, with the re suit that the rotor is practically free to rotate with little resistance.

To the inclined face of each of the nose pieces I) there is adjustably secured a secondary nose piece or concentrating plate I which may be adjusted toward and from the rotary pole piece and which, should wear upon its projecting end occur, may be readily replaced or renewed at slight cost. This secondary nose piece I is preferably a plate which rests squarely against the inclined face of the'nose piece I) so as to make good ing edge occupies a position diagonal with respect to theaxis ofthe rotary pole piece. The nose pieces are designed to form one side of downwardly converging hoppers into which the material to be separated is fed. The opposite sides of the hoppers are i formed by corresponding but oppositely in- 1. clined walls I which are also of magnetic the projections exposed, whereby the mov- 1 material, usually thin plate iron suitably able pole pieces will present substantially a plain cylindrical face and the ore being "mounted upon and adjustable with the nose pieces Z). The form of hopper will be read- The sleeve and end of the rotor, preferably have a taper fit which prevents which the rotary poles move, the fixed pole bottom than at the top, as best seen in the magnetic contact therewith, and its project- 1,071.;aee

ily understood from an inspection of the lower portion of Fig. 2, and the top plan views Figs. 3 and at, there being one hopper at the side of each of the fixed pole pieces with means whereby each may to supplied with comn'iinutcd ore in quantity sullicient to maintain a body of ore constantly in contact with the face of the rotary pole pieces. The ore is usually supplied from bins Ii located above the machine and from which itis fed down to the hoppers through pipes k.

As above stated, each of the hoppers is preferablyhept sufficiently full of comminuted ore to insure a rubbing conta t be tween the body of ore and face of the rotary pole piece, but in order to prevent grinding and wear between said face and the face of nose piece of the fixed pole, a wiper is-provided in advance of the supplemental nose piece. This wiper permits only a thin layer of the ore to pass out of the hopper in contact with the face of the rotary pole piece, and is preferably formed by a soft. rubber plate L adjustably secured to a filling block L, of wood or other suitable material, clamped to the face of the supplemental nose piece I. \Vith thisconstruction itis found that the ore drawn out of the hopper by the rotary pole piece is not only evenly distributed, but the particles are forced into intimate relation or rubbing contact with the movable pole pieceiand each of the more susceptible particles is afforded an opportunity not only to position itself in the mpst fayorable relation to the taco ot' the pole )iecc but is brou 'ht into su h intimate contact and such a relation established between thetwo that it will be held by the movable pole in passing through the highlyconcentrated magnetic field, The lesser susceptible particles are, however, free to be dis charged by the combined action of gravity and centrifugal force, which will tend to cause them to fly or drop away from the pole piece as soon as the gap between the fixed and movable pole pieces is sullicienlly large- The more susceptible particles. will be carried a greater distance, and it, there fore, becomes a simple matter to separate or classify the material as by the interposition of partitions or diaphragm-1 M (Fig 3) with openings such as m for discharging tailings, and openings such as in, for discharging the concentrates or heads.

it will be noted that the pole pieces on. the rotor are of constant polarity, tuat is to say, one is positive and the other negative at all times, with the result that there is no tendency of the pole pieces to become heated by'changes in polarity, as would be the case were one side of each pole positive and. the

other negative-as in some magnetic separators which have heretofore been proposed.

l urthermore, it is found in practice that with this cmistruclion. while the separation or classification ol ores having the Clllll'tlC terstics hercinbet'ore referred to is facilitatcd and made possible on a connnercial scale the machine is not adapted for use in the separation and classification of the socalled magnetic ores. for the reason that magnetic particles, when once brought into contact with the movable pole pieces will adhere thereto so strongly as to prevent their discharge allcr the oi nccotrated tield of magnetic intensity has been passed.

in operation it is found that a considerable percentage of the tailings will escape from the hoppers on the opposite side of the same from the lixcd pole pieces, but owing to the [act that the side wall of the hopper is of magnetic material it is found that only a negligible percentage ol the more suscep tible particles will escape from the hopper at these points. In effect there is a rough sc niration at the points mentioned with the escape of orily tailings which contain no susceptible lnaterial, this result being; due in part to the magnetic action and in part to the fact that the rotary pole piece constantly tends to move the material into instead of out of the hopper. ol the rotor or rotary pole piece in moving the material out of the hopper is entirely confined to that side of the hopper which is formed by the fixed pole piece and its adjustable nose pieces. The mass of material or C(ilillilllllllltll ore which is presented to the 'movablepole piece at each of the hoppers it will be noted is entirely free from momentlnn, there being therel'ore no tendency of the material to rebound from the surface of the pole piece, and, in tact, while each o't the particles is free to adjust itself to-' -rire ctl'ectire separation.

With many of the orcs where the present machine will ell'cct satisfactory separation or classification, machines of prior construc tion will not operate to scpa rate and classify the same at all. The dillereuce. as l have before pointed out. so Far as I can now determine. due. to the fact that a rubbing contact establishes a more cllicctive attraction between the pole piece and the suscep- .tible particles, and when this condition is -cslabl1shcd, the particles will, it undisturbcd, adhere to the )ole )icce dnrin their The mechanicalctfect &

passage through and out of the concentrated field of magnetic intensity, and for a sufiicient distance to enable the-classes of material to be discharged on opposite sides of a diaphragm or partition;

The movable pole piece is preferably rotated at a speed which will cause the ore to leave its surface under the influence of centrifugal force, thus centrifugal force combined with the action of gravity will cause the lesser susceptible particles to leave the pole piece sooner than the more susceptible particles, and it is obvious that by regulating the magnetic attraction of the pole pieces and density of the concentrated field, materials of but slightly different magnetic susceptibility can be separated from each other. 'While the capacity of any one of the separating fields may be small as compared with machines designed for operating on magnetic ores, by the provision of four separating fields without material increase in complication, or power required to operate the machine, the total capacity is greatly '3 increased so that a machine of moderate size air gap between the pole pieces.

2. In a magnetic separator, the combination with fixed and movable pole pieces having a vertically elongated air gap between them, of a hopper for comminuted materials to be separated, one side of which is formed by the movable pole piece at a point in proximity to and at one side of the fixed pole piece, whereby the materials discharged from the hopper by the movement of the movable pole piece will be carried trans-" versely through the lair gap. c

3. In a magnetic separator, the combinationwith a rotor forming one pole piece in a magnetic circuit, and a fixed pole piece arran ed in proximity thereto and inclined to he horizon, ofmeans for maintaining a body of comminuted materials to be separated in contact with the rotor in proximity to the upper inclined side of the fixed pole piece, whereby materials of lesser susceptibility discharged from the hopperat the top will fallfunder the influence of gravity without contacting with material of greater susceptibility carried by the rotor 'from the bottom portionof the-hopper. V V

4. In a magnetic separator, the combinaa hopper,

tion with a rotor mounted on a vertical axis and having a cylindrical pole piece forming one terminal of the magnetic circuit, and a fixed pole piece arranged in proximity thereto, and formin another terminal of the magnetic circuit, w ereby the concentratedmagnetic field is established between said pole pieces, of a hopper located at one side of the fixed pole piece, with its feed open-' ing at one side and extending vertically, one

wall of said hopper being formed by the pole piece of the rotor whereby a body of ore will be supported in rubbing contact with said pole piece and will be fed thereby laterally through the concentrated magnetic field for the separation of the ore particles having diiferent magnetic susceptibility. 5. In a magnetic separator, the COmblllh tion with a rotor mounted on a vertical axis and having a cylindrical pole piece forming one terminal oif 'a magnetlc c1rcu1t and a fixed pole piece arranged in proximity thereto and forming another terminal of the magnetic circuit, one face of sand fixed pole piece being inclined to the axis of the rotor, of

the pole piece of the rotor at a point in proximity to the inclined face of the fixed ole one wall ofwhich is formed by.

piece whereby the ore will be transferre by the rotor through the magnetic field between the two pole pieces, substantially as described.

6. In a magnrtic separator, the combination with a rotor having cylindrical po1e" pieces at its opposite ends, said pole pieces being of constant opposite-sign, and a field magnet havin pole pieces arranged in proximity to said rotor .pole pieces and of oppor site sign therefrom, of hoppers located in proximity to said field magnet pole pieces and having one side open to the rotor pole pieces,

and each having an upwardly extendin dis-" charge opening between one wall an the rotor, whereby bodies of ore will be supported in rubbing contact with the rotor pole pieces in proximity to the concentrated fields" of magnetic intensity between the rotor and. field magnet pole pieces and will be dlSf' charged latera l y from the hopper by the movement of the rotor.

7. In a magnetic separator, the combination withca rotor mounted on a vertical axis:

and having cylindrical pole piece at its .ends, field magnets arranged on dlametri-h cally opposite sides of the rotorand having pole pieces extending in proximity to the rotor pole pieces, the. pole pieces of the rotor being of constant and opposite-sign from the pole pieces of the field magnet, whereby magnetic reversals in the rotor pole pieces are avoided, and hoppers arranged in proximity to each of the field magnet pole pieces,

one side of each'i'of said hoppers'beingopen; I

to the rotor pole pieces and 'each havmg a l6. ln a magnetic separator, the combinaore will be fed transversely from the said (ion with a rotor mounted on a vertical axis hopper by the rotation of The rotor and the and having a Cylindrical pole piece, and a I lesser susceptible particles will be permit-- field magnet: having :1 vertically elongale(l ted to drop bet-ween the rotor and converg- 5 pole piece extending in pI'o-Xi11iity t theroi ing hopper walls, substantially as described. 15

tor pole piece, of a hopper having down- JOSEPH WEATHERBY- wawly 'COIIVPIQIIIfI walls and having one wall formed by the rotor pole piece at a point in proximity to the magnetic field be- 10 tween the pole pieces, whereby comminuted i il'nesses:

SAMUEL F. PETERS Jos. F. \VEAVER. 

